“So, Saturday? That kiss? That was good-bye, wasn’t it?” she asked.
“Romeo is banished, there is no end, no limit, measure, bound, in that word’s death.”
She took another step toward him, and Levi retreated. He felt his willpower growing weaker by the second, her mere presence his kryptonite. He steeled his resolve and knew that he needed to make her see that he wasn’t worth her tears.
“I’m sorry, Taylor. I’m so damn sorry I dragged you into this. When we started this job, I didn’t know you. I had no idea this would happen. I never meant to hurt you.”
Taylor nodded and shifted from foot to foot. “Was it real? Was any of it real?” she asked.
Levi turned away. He drew in a deep breath and released it slowly, trying to clear his head. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t deny her this.
“It was real, Taylor. Everything. Every word. Every touch. But if it makes it easier for you to hate me, remember the con man, the one who lied. Because I don’t want to be the cause of any more hurt for you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, but I can’t keep you.” He zipped up both his suitcases and pulled the handles out.
“I’ve got to leave,” he said, his eyes darting toward the door.
“Where will you go?”
“I can’t tell you that. Thanks for not calling the cops. It’ll give us enough time to disappear.”
“Levi.”
He shook his head and rolled his bags toward the door. “Good-bye, Taylor.”
Levi concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Taylor’s sniffling was the only sound in the room, and it killed him to leave this way. He pushed on the door and let it slam behind him, cutting all ties.
He lifted each bag into his truck and climbed inside. He started the engine, soothed just a bit by the familiar rumble and his father’s guitar sitting shotgun. A loud bang on his window made him jump. Levi looked up to find Taylor looking back at him, her fist resting on the glass. He reluctantly rolled the window down and waited.
“Take me with you,” she begged, her fingers gripping the door of his truck.
“You have a life here, Taylor.”
“I don’t want it. Levi, I want you. Please, take me with you.”
His grip tightened around the steering wheel as he forced himself to make the best decision for them both.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Levi threw the truck in drive and floored it, leaving her standing in a cloud of dust. As he drove away, he dared to look in his rearview mirror and was crushed by the sight of Taylor screaming, tears soaking her face. “The Road Not Taken” flashed through his mind, though Robert Frost’s poem did nothing to soothe the searing pain he felt.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
Instead, each word seemed to get stuck in his throat and strangle the air from his lungs.
The odds had always been stacked against them. Mistake after mistake, Levi and Taylor’s passion had not been enough to save them. Instead, fate had delivered them to suffer in their own isolated hells. He looked out at the road ahead of him and vowed to never criticize Romeo again.
21. bergamo and robbery
The days following the heist were mostly a blur. No one suspected anything, and Taylor certainly wasn’t going to confess. She felt terrible for what her family had done to Julia, her aunt. How could her grandfather have been so cruel? Why had her sweet grandmother let him do it? She was ashamed of her family, more so than ever.
Taylor lived in her bed, getting up only to use the bathroom or when Suzanne forced her to eat. Of course the woman connected the dots with Levi gone and Taylor’s foul mood. But she didn’t ask questions. Suzanne checked on Taylor often and left her to sulk.
She even missed her appointment with Dee on Tuesday, asking Adrienne to apologize for her. On the fourth day, in the late afternoon¸ Suzanne turned down the covers and crawled into bed with Taylor. She pulled the girl into her arms and rubbed soothing circles on her back. Taylor tried to hold herself together but failed miserably. She cried until all her tears were gone. Suzanne held her and promised that she’d be okay.
“I know that my pay comes out of your trust fund,” Suzanne admitted. “Thank you for that, Taylor. Thanks for keeping me around even after you didn’t need me.”
“It wasn’t completely selfless, Suzanne. I do need you.”
Suzanne ran her fingers along Taylor’s hairline and gently pushed back the blond tendrils from her face.
“When you were four years old, I took you and Beau to the park to play. You were fearless—climbing over everything, jumping off swings—but Beau wouldn’t leave my side. When you saw that he was nervous, you came and sat next to us for a while. Eventually, you coaxed Beau onto the slide and walked him up the ladder.”
Taylor smiled and tucked her hands beneath her pillow. “I never liked to play by myself,” she said.
“It was more than that, Taylor. You couldn’t stand to see him alone. You have a big heart, sweetie. Along the way, you learned to turn it off so that no one could hurt you, but it’s always been there. You finally opened yourself up to love.”
“And look where it got me,” Taylor said.
“I know it hurts now. There’s nothing like your first heartbreak, kid. You feel like your heart got put in a blender with some ice and Bloody Mary mix, pulverized, and served to you with a celery stalk.” Taylor gave her a strange look, trying to make sense of another Suzanneism. “I know it feels like it won’t get better. But it will. And when it does, you’ll be stronger because of it.”
“It felt real, Suzanne,” Taylor said as yet another tear fell and soaked into her pillow.
“It was real. Anyone could see the way he looked at you. Men are stupid when it comes to love, baby girl. I don’t know what happened or why he left, but I don’t doubt that it was the hardest thing he’s ever done.”
Taylor closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. “I think I’m ready to get up now.”
“Good. You grab a shower and I’ll have Mandy make you some lunch.”
“Okay.”
Suzanne placed a kiss on Taylor’s forehead and crawled out of bed. She grabbed some clothes for Taylor and laid them out on the bathroom counter. Taylor stripped and stepped into the shower. The steam filled her lungs and surrounded her in a soft embrace.
As she dried off and slid into her clean clothes, Taylor wondered where Levi had gone. She wondered where on earth he fled to before feeling safe enough to stop running. She also wondered if he was running from his crime or from her.
Sitting at the counter in the kitchen, Taylor traced the granite pattern with her fingertip while Mandy made her a sandwich. Her eyes would drift to the seat next to her, Levi’s seat, and she would quickly correct herself.
“Here you go,” Mandy said, pushing a plate in front of her. “It’s your favorite, peanut butter and banana.”
Taylor managed a small smile before taking a couple of bites. Suzanne’s gaze shifted to Taylor’s plate, and her expression hardened. “If you don’t finish that, I’ll just make you another one and have you start over.”
Taylor groaned but took another bite to satisfy Suzanne. After she finished her sandwich, she was allowed to return to her room. Taylor checked her phone and sent Reese and Adrienne a text letting them know that she was still alive. Everyone else, she ignored.
“This finally came back from the cleaners,” Suzanne said, bringing her blue ball gown in and hanging it in her closet.
The sight of that gown reminded Taylor of her grandmother, and guilt took hold of her again. But then she remembered something else. Taylor walked to her jewelry box and opened it. She pulled out the bottom drawer, and tucked behind it was her grandmother’s locket. The one she’d given her in secret.
Taylor pulled the chain out and opened the locket. Inside was the same photo she remembered, an adorable toddler with big curls and a toothy smile, a toddler w
ith Down syndrome.
“Julia,” Taylor said.
“Taylor?” Suzanne asked.
Taylor dropped the locket in the drawer and turned to face the door. “Yeah?”
“I’ve got some errands to run. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Call me if you need anything. Okay?”
“Okay,” Taylor answered.
When Suzanne was gone, Taylor retrieved the locket and looked at the photo again. This poor woman had been abandoned by her family, neglected and abused by people meant to help her, and until Nadine found her, no one knew and no one cared. The anger took over Taylor’s heart and made the pain of losing Levi a little easier to bear. So she held on to that feeling. She nailed it down and let the anger take root.
Taylor slid the locket around her neck and tucked it beneath her shirt. The cool metal against her chest helped remind her to stay angry, to be different … better.
* * *
Leaving Taylor behind had been the hardest thing Levi had ever done, especially after she’d begged to go with him. As much as he wanted her, he refused to be responsible for ruining her future. She had so many opportunities and so much freedom. She didn’t deserve the kind of aimless life he would give her.
The first few days, Levi was consumed with paranoia. He tried to place as much distance as possible between himself and the Hudson house. He had no idea if any of them were suspects, but he knew sooner or later his name would top the list.
He flew to Mexico first. There he used a fake passport to purchase a ticket to Brazil. From Brazil, he went to New Zealand, then Hong Kong, and finally Italy. Levi had shipped his luggage from Mexico to Italy, but he kept his guitar with him. Through the exhaustion of traveling and the constant worry, he used the guitar to soothe the ache and anxiety. He would play anywhere, sometimes to the delight of fellow travelers.
Once in Italy, he made his way to Bergamo. His father used to talk about that small town when Levi was a child, telling tales of their enormous extended family. It had always been a foreign concept to Levi, having a large family. For so long, it had just been him, his father, and his uncle Zach.
When he checked in to Hotel San Lorenzo, Levi found his bags waiting in his room. He unlocked them and checked inside, still awed by the stacks of hundred-dollar bills. He sat on the edge of the small bed and stared at those open suitcases: $5 million stared back.
For the first time since they’d pulled off the heist, Levi realized that he was now a millionaire. He lay back on the bed and stared at the plaster ceiling. He should be elated, he’d gotten exactly what he wanted. Then Taylor’s face flashed before him, and he realized that what he wanted most probably hated him and was halfway around the world.
He already missed Taylor. It was a horrible feeling and one that he felt he’d never escape. So he didn’t even try. He stayed in bed and let the suffering and self-pity consume him. He felt like he deserved it. Levi told himself that he just needed rest and all would be right in the morning. But when the morning came, there was still that agonizing emptiness and a recollection of blond-haired, blue-eyed dreams.
* * *
Tired of looking at the four walls of her room, Taylor had ventured down to the study. She sat sideways in the large chair and laid her head back on the plush arm. On her lap sat a collection of poetry, open to Sonnet 140 by William Shakespeare. Taylor grew frustrated that in her own home, she could not escape Levi. He was everywhere, he’d tainted everything.
“Your father called,” Suzanne said as she entered the study. “Said he was on his way home and asked me to make sure you stayed here.”
Taylor swallowed and looked to Suzanne. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“I don’t know. He did say his assistant quit and her replacement was not doing so well. That’s why he had to call me himself.”
“Can you imagine the horror of having to place a phone call all by yourself?” Taylor deadpanned.
Suzanne smiled and patted Taylor’s shoulder. “There’s my girl.”
The front door opened and slammed closed.
“Taylor!” Henry shouted. “Taylor Hudson!” Taylor sighed and pulled herself from the chair. “Taylor!”
“What?”
She found her father in the foyer, his face red, his tie hanging loose around his unbuttoned collar. Just the sight of him made her nauseated and resentful all over again. Her hand came up and pressed the locket against her skin, letting it anchor her to that anger.
Henry stomped toward her, like a freight train out of control. She slumped back against the wall, unsure of what he would do. Taylor had never been afraid of her father before, but in this moment, she knew exactly what he was capable of.
“Has Beau Upton been in this house?” he said, stopping just short of her. Taylor stood there, wide-eyed and not sure how to answer. “Well? And don’t even think about lying. I’ll check the video footage for the last six months if I need to.”
“Yes,” she answered.
Henry’s hands flew to his salt-and-pepper hair. He looked crazed.
“George Upton had the audacity to come by my office today. He said that he was coming after me and the contracts I stole from him. Threatened that he was working on something big to take me down. He said he had eyes everywhere, even in my home!”
“Beau wasn’t spying for his father. He’s my friend. We were just hanging out!” Taylor defended.
“You ignorant, naïve little girl. He was just using you! I warned you to stay away from him and his whole thieving family. If he touched anything…”
Henry’s eyes glanced upstairs. In an instant, he took off toward the second floor. Taylor was on his heels. She tripped up the stairs and followed him down the hall. He punched in the four-digit code to his private office and swung the door open.
“Son of a bitch!”
Taylor followed him inside and found him hunched over his desk. Papers and books lay scattered around the room, the antique Tiffany lamp was overturned. She smiled at his back, knowing that she and Levi were responsible for this mess.
“Beau didn’t do this,” Taylor said.
“Who else, then, Taylor?” He spun on her. Again his face displayed rage, and she shrank away from him. She couldn’t tell him the truth. “Who else would have come in here? They were looking for something. For what?”
Henry’s chest heaved with shallow breaths. Taylor kept the satisfied smile off her face. She’d never seen him so out of control, so rattled.
“My safe!” he shouted.
Again Henry took off down the hall, this time toward Taylor’s room. She was right behind him. She watched him throw open her door and scramble inside. He pushed on her bed until it slid against the farthest wall.
“What are you doing?” she shouted.
Henry stepped to the middle of the room and a panel sunk in. Taylor gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Henry dropped to his knees and slid the panel back. Taylor moved forward, wanting to see for herself. All the color drained from his face as his eyes landed on the perfectly round hole drilled into the face of his safe. Henry gripped the handle and pulled the door open to find nothing inside.
“Empty,” he whispered, falling back into a seated position. “Fucking empty.”
Suddenly, his head whipped toward her. He jumped to his feet, grabbed Taylor by the shoulders, and shoved her against the wall.
“How did this happen, Taylor?” he yelled as he shook her violently. “How? No one knew that safe was there. No one would ever think to look under my daughter’s bed. It was the perfect hiding place! Are you a part of this?”
“I didn’t even know that thing was down there,” she answered with tears in her eyes.
“You know something, you little bitch. Now tell me!”
Henry wrapped his hand around Taylor’s throat. She clawed at his large hand, trying to pull it off of her, trying to take a breath.
“Henry!”
They both turned to see Suzanne standing there, her expression full of
rage. He let go of Taylor, and she slumped to the floor, gasping for air. Suzanne knelt down and took Taylor into her arms.
“Are you okay?” she asked, swiping at her wet cheeks.
Taylor nodded and looked on as Henry paced in front of them, his phone pressed to his ear. Suzanne continued to rub circles on Taylor’s back as Taylor sucked in shuddering breaths and bit down on her bottom lip. She could hear the ringing on the other end of the phone and then someone pick up. Henry’s eyes met hers, a silent stare of rage and mistrust, until he spoke.
“I need to report a robbery.”
22. lebron james and postcards
Disgusted with himself and his self-pity, Levi eventually left his hotel to explore the city. It was a beautiful place with Old World charm and interesting locals. The buildings and architecture were stunning. He was impressed with the simpler way of life here, the slower pace. It was refreshing and just what he needed.
Over the next few weeks, Levi began the search for his distant relatives. They weren’t hard to find in a town this size, and soon he was observing them from a distance. They owned a cozy little restaurant on the Via Colleoni. As he dined there one evening, charmed by the ambiance and rustic feel of the place, he tried to embrace his connection to these people. Besides the resemblance of the Russo men to his father, Levi felt no attachment.
Sure, they shared the same blood, but that was all. Seeing them did not bring his father back and it didn’t provide the kind of resolution he always thought it would. He didn’t know these people and these people did not know his father. They didn’t know that he loved to play music and sing in their living room. They didn’t know that despite his Italian roots, he was a terrible cook. They didn’t know of his love for a woman he’d lost too soon or the heartbreak he lived with for the rest of his life.
Soon, Levi abandoned the idea of connecting with this family. He explored the city and found that his favorite place was in the Palazzo Nuovo, the Angelo Mai Library. He spent some time there, flipping through books in a language he didn’t understand. His fingers trailed over yellowed pages and foreign words with a reverence to their beginnings.
Perfect Betrayal Page 25
